Sunday, November 29, 2015

Hunting for the Perfect Christmas Tree


After three days of clouds and rain, Saturday the skies cleared, the sun came out, and we went hunting for the perfect Christmas tree at our farm.  Our intrepid tree hunting crew included son, Steve, Natasha, two boys that she cares for on occasion, daughter Sue, and me, the guide.

One would think it would be easy.  At Roshara we have several thousand trees from which to choose.  We prune none of them so finding the perfect tree always proves a bit of a challenge.  Further, a tree in the wild is always taller than a tree in one’s living room.  Outdoors, the tree is compared to those fifty feet tall standing around it.  In your living room there is a ceiling to contend with.

So the crew runs through the trees, looking here and there: “This one’s too short. This one’s too tall.  This one is too skinny.  This one is too fat.  This one has a bad side” and so on.  I’ve long learned to stay quiet, letting the decision making evolve.

 For me, and I think it would hold for everyone in the tree hunting crew, the hunt is as important as the results.  Three generations outdoors on a sunny late fall day, enjoying the fun of it all, a quiet day in the out-of-doors, and a chance to be with each other.

For those wondering, we did find three decent looking Christmas trees.  But it took a while.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Cut your own Christmas tree.  And bring the family along.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

December 2, 12:00 to 1:00 p.m.  Book Signing, Wisconsin Historical Society Headquarters building lobby.  Books on sale.

December 2, 7:00 p.m. All Wisconsin Public TV stations.  The Land With Jerry Apps. Hour-long documentary based on my book WHISPERS AND SHADOWS.  See grandsons, Josh and Ben in action, and with a lot to say.

December 19, McFarlane’s, 780 Caroline St., Sauk City, Wisconsin.  1:00 p.m. Discussion and signing of Wisconsin Agriculture: A History.

Purchase Jerry’s DVDS and his Books from the Patterson Memorial Library in Wild Rose, Wisconsin (a fund raiser for them):

The library now has available signed copies of Jerry’s DVDs, Emmy Winner, A Farm Winter with Jerry Apps and Jerry Apps a Farm Story.
Also available are several of Jerry’s signed books including The Quiet Season (on which the DVD A Farm Winter is based), as well as Rural Wit and Wisdom and Old Farm, (which are related to the DVD Jerry Apps a Farm Story). Also available is Jerry’s new novel, The Great Sand Fracas of Ames County as well as Whispers and Shadows and his newest nonfiction book, Wisconsin Agriculture: A History.

Contact the library for prices and special package deals.
Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division Street
Wild Rose, WI 54984
barnard@wildroselibrary.org
www.wildroselibrary.org
920-622-3835


1 comment:

Apps On Red said...

I enjoyed this post. Pleasurable & interesting!